


Flower Language

by oh_deer_oh_my



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Flower meanings are in the notes at the end!, Hanahaki Disease, Keith has a flower disease (that I made up), Klance Flower Shop AU, Klance Hanahaki, M/M, TW: Blood, TW: Small (very small) panic attacks, klance, there's really only like two of them, this is my first fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-01-06 04:00:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18380531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_deer_oh_my/pseuds/oh_deer_oh_my
Summary: Keith has a rare disease called FloraDinian, which means that flowers grow and wilt in his hair depending on his mood. Before he meets Lance, a new flower shop employee, he only shows blue hyacinth (consistency).Keith and his older brother, Shiro, frequent the flower shop near their home to get medication for Keith’s FloraDinian. They’re surprised when they walk in one day to not the face of the usual shopkeep, Coran, but a new face dusted with freckles and strikingly blue eyes. Keith’s blue hyacinths quickly wilt, and in their place: a new... different flower.Shiro, being the doting older brother he is, studied flower meanings ever since the second he found that Keith’s flowers are connected to his emotions. He knew exactly what was happening.Lance, being a brand-spankin’-new employee at the shop, doesn’t know much about flower language other than roses mean love (duh). After the brothers leave with Keith’s medication, Keith finds any excuse to go back to the flower shop and see the boy again.





	1. White Rose

Floradinian is a rare disease acquired at birth, it causes the “host” to grow and wilt flowers on a part of his/her body that connect with their current emotions. If not properly treated, the flowers can spread throughout the body and become a type of hanahaki. Keith Kogane is one of the very few people who is affected by this disease. 

Keith and his older brother, Shiro, walked down the familiar cobblestone road of their old, small town to the local flower shop. The walk was routine at that point and bored the living daylights out of Keith, but he knew he had to go anyways. It was his life on the line anyways. He didn’t really need Shiro with him, but Shiro was a big worry wart and came despite Keith’s constant protests. Though it’s summer, the breeze blowing gave Keith a chill. He tugged at his usual black beanie to cover his ears better, then stuffed his hands right back into his warm coat pockets. Wordlessly, the two brothers made their way to Altea Flower Shop for the thousandth time. Everything was normal, and Keith was bored. He still sported the usual blue hyacinth in his hair, nothing different. There was a dog barking in the distance.There were 23 lampposts on the way. Keith didn’t even have to count anymore to know how many steps it took them to get to the shop. 2,553 every time. Shiro opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. The brothers had had every conversation humanly possible on the trail to the shop, and now there was nothing left to be said. 

Finally!, Keith all but screamed in his head when the blue hues of the shop came into view, the sooner they got in the sooner they got out. The blue and white stripes on the rain banner, the insanely clear and clean windows in the front, and the wooden sign hanging above the door that clearly read “Altea Flower Shop.” Every. Single. Thing was so boringly familiar that Keith almost couldn’t stand it. The creak of the door, the ring of the bell, the mixed smell of every flower in the shop, the mustachioed man behind th- oh wait. That’s new. Or, um, he is new. His head snapped up from the forget-me-nots he was tending to, and, god, his smile brightened up the whole room. His face was dusted with freckles resembling stars. And his wide eyes were like the brightest blue forget-me-nots you would ever see. Keith was so distracted he almost didn’t notice the man greet them, or the blur of wilted flowers falling from his head out of the corner of his eye. Wide eyed, Keith looked to the floor where his blue hyacinths had fallen from his head. Oh god, Keith thought, what replaced those? Whatever, he could figure that out later, but the amused look on Shiro’s face did nothing to comfort him. 

“Um,” the clerk tried again, “hello? Is everything alright?” Right!! Geez, Keith must’ve looked like an idiot.

“Haha!” Shiro laughed, “Yeah, he’s alright, just a little… overwhelmed, you could say.” Keith glared, good lord what flowers were in his hair?  
As if reading his mind the clerk said, “I like your… gloxinia? Sorry, I’m still a bit new at this, today’s my first day! Those are gloxinia, right?”

Keith felt his face flush and glanced at Shiro, who was obviously trying to hide his laughter. Keith glared again, then turned back to the clerk and all but muttered, “Uh, yeah… I guess they are… I can’t really see them, but if my brother’s stupid face is any indication, then yes, they’re gloxinia.” You had got to have been kidding him. Fucking gloxinia. Of course! Who wouldn’t fall in love with this guy at first sight, he’s tall, got a nice body, fine, soft looking hair. Oh man what Keith wouldn’t give to even feel- SHIT! The clerk was talking again.

“Sor-sorry could you repeat that?” Keith choked.  
“Yeah, you’re Keith, right? Coran said that you would come in today for your medication. Let me go grab it!”  
As soon as the boy disappeared into the back room Shiro lost it, he was almost crying he was laughing so hard.  
“Oh shut it,” Keith snapped.  
“Yeah okay, but those tulips look nice with the gloxinia, man.”  
“YOU’RE KIDDING.”  
“Check the window,” Shiro wheezed, doubling over.  
Sure enough, Keith now sported gloxinia, and a shit ton of colors of tulips, more yellow than any other. Shit, shit, shit, shit!  
Keith spun back around right as the clerk walked back into the room. Shiro was still doubled over and Keith smacked him in the shoulder as hard as he could. He deserved it.  
“Alright, here you go!” The clerk was really cheerful, a check in Keith’s book.  
“Great! Thank you! Shiro and I have to go! Now!” Keith announced as he snatched the bottle of medicine from the clerk’s hand. Soft… NOT NOW GAY THOUGHTS  
Keith was already half way through the door when he felt a hand on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. Of course, Shiro had already recovered from his fit of laughter and standing tall and prim and proper like he always was.  
“Thank you so much,” he thanked the clerk as he handed him money, “sorry, we didn’t catch your name?”  
“Oh, I’m Lance! I hope I see you guys around soon!”  
Lance. If it weren’t for the tiniest bit of dignity he had left, Keith would’ve melted right then and there. Lance…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings(to my understanding):  
> White Rose: "A New Beginning"  
> Blue Hyacinth: Consistency  
> Forget-Me-Not: True Love, Memories  
> Gloxinia: Love At First Sight  
> Tulips: (Variegated: Beautiful Eyes) (Yellow: "There's sunshine in your smile")
> 
> This is my first fic that I've ever posted! This first chapter isn't very long, I know, sorry! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism would be very much appreciated! Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2: Sprig of White Tendrils

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took so long to update! I got busy with school and other life stuff so AH here I am! Reminder that the flower meanings are in the notes at the end!

Keith threw his bag down on the sofa as soon as he got home, he was so fucking fed up with his brother. Shiro had tormented Keith the whole way home about his tulips and gloxinia, which soon turned to  orange lilies. By the time they made it to their street Keith was full on sprinting to get away from his older brother, but as fate might have it Shiro was just as healthy and strong as Keith, which meant that he could keep up just fine to keep tormenting his little brother.

 

“You could’ve tried to actually talk to him, y’know. We’re gonna have to go back there eventually.” Shiro laughed. Again. 

“Oh my god no just let me die.”

“Nope. You’re gonna be stuck with me forever.”

That made Keith smile a bit. As much as his brother annoyed him, Keith would do anything for him. Shiro has been with him through everything, and will stay with him forever, Keith knew that. 

“Awww Keith I love you, too,” Shiro commented as Keith’s orange lilies wilted and turned to  red chrysanthemums . Keith smiled up at his brother from his grumpy position on the couch, decided to take his daily dose of medicine, grab his camera and take off. He grabbed his jacket, still right where it threw it on the couch before, signaled to Shiro he was going out, and was on his way. 

He walked around his neighborhood again, trying to find something different to capture. Nothing. He made his way further into town, hopes no higher than before, but he might as well try. Still nothing. Soon enough, Keith found himself where he had been earlier that day, right outside Altea Flower Shop. The blue hyacinths that had popped up as soon as he left the house fell and gave way to  nuts and forsythia.  How in the hell had he unconsciously wandered back to the flower shop? WHY had his feet carried him here of all places? Keith was about to turn around to go home and wallow in his idiocy when-

“Oh! Hi there, Keith!”

Keith slowly turned back around and there - surprising to no one -  was Lance. Still wearing his baby blue shirt, black jeans, and now dirtier black apron. He had just come outside to tend to these plants. Keith’s blue hyacinths faded to  white camellias .

“What’re you takin’ pictures of?” Of course he’s observant, too.

“Um, I thought I’d come back and take some shots of… the flowers?”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place! Anything particular in mind?”

“Haha,” Keith paused, “No clue, actually…”

Lance laughed. “Personally, I would suggest  crocuses! They’re my favorite flower, and they grow fast, too!

Crocuses were officially Keith’s favorite flower now. His white camellias didn’t last long, as  sprig of white tendrils replaced them quickly. He nodded, maybe a little too eagerly, and asked Lance where he could find crocuses in the little shop. Lance was more than delighted to show him, even though Keith obviously could have found them himself. Crocuses don’t need a lot of light to grow, so they were placed against a wall, farther away from the windows. Lance made his way back to the front of the shop, and Keith got to work on the photographs.

Keith didn’t usually have much motive to take pictures other than he was good at it and he had nothing else to do, but today, he really, really needed to make these pictures perfect for Lance. He  _ needed _ to. So he got to work on adjusting his lighting and angle, moving the flowers around to see what looked best to get the perfect shot.  _ Click, click, click. Snap, snap, snap. _ Shot after shot after shot, but then out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of white. He stood up taller, unaware that he had been crouching for the photos, and saw Lance. With a girl. Blushing. She had long, curly, platinum hair and skin the color of chocolate. Keith felt his hair get heavy with nuts again. 

Quickly, he packed up his camera, stood up, and walked out with his head down. As he opened the door he was met with the sound of Lance’s laughter. Keith would have melted again if it weren’t for his disdainful feelings towards himself at the moment. He glanced over at the two of them. Lance had noticed him open the door, so Keith gave a curt smile and a nod letting the other know he was done, and started walking again only to be stopped again by the soft hand of the cheery clerk.

“You’re really done so soon? Can I see them?” He asked with a gleam in his eyes.

“Well,” Keith whispered, glancing over to the girl, “they’re not perfect, so I’ll have to edit them when I get home.”

“Oh… How about I give you my number, and you can text them to me when they’re done! I don’t have my phone on me right now because of work, do you have yours?”

Keith shook his head, he rarely brought it out when he was taking pictures, it was too distracting. 

“Okay, well how about this,” Lance said, pulling a pen out of his pocket, “I’ll write my number on your wrist, and you text me when you get home so I can add you to my contacts later, okay?”

Keith stood still, almost frozen as he felt soft hands grab his wrist, and the press of the tip of the pen against his skin as the other man effortlessly inked each number into his arm. Keith felt himself blush, and felt the weight of the nuts leave his head, only to clunk on the ground. He didn’t want to look away from the hands on his arm, but curiosity got the better of him and he looked into the window.  Pink camellia.  Yep, that sounded right.

Lance had finished writing on Keith’s arm sooner then Keith would have liked, but he smiled as he waved goodbye to Lance and started to make his way home, not even giving the girl another thought until he heard:

“Sorry ‘bout that ‘Llura, what were you saying about Coran?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flower Meanings to MY understanding:  
> Orange Lillies - Disdain  
> Red Chrysanthemum - I Love You  
> Nuts (I know they're not a flower but they fit) - Stupidity  
> Forsythia - Anticipation  
> White Camellias - You're Adorable  
> Crocus - Always Cheerful  
> Sprig of White Tendrils - Anxious to Please, Affection  
> Pink Camellia - Longing For You

**Author's Note:**

> Flower Meanings(to my understanding):  
> White Rose: "A New Beginning"  
> Blue Hyacinth: Consistency  
> Forget-Me-Not: True Love, Memories  
> Gloxinia: Love At First Sight  
> Tulips: (Variegated: Beautiful Eyes) (Yellow: "There's sunshine in your smile")
> 
> This is my first fic that I've ever posted! This first chapter isn't very long, I know, sorry! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism would be very much appreciated! Thank you for reading!


End file.
